Alex Okafor visiting Bucs on Thursday

Okafor, 27, has ties to Bucs General Manager Jason Licht and defensive line coach Brentson Buckner. Licht was in Arizona when the Cardinals used a fourth-round pick on him in 2013, and Buckner was an assistant coach in Arizona for Okafor’s first four seasons.

Okafor had a career best eight sacks in 2014. He has 18 in the past four seasons after playing only one game as a rookie.

He spent last season in New Orleans, where he made 4.5 sacks in 10 games before an Achilles tear.